CAREER: Biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids in marine bacteria

生命过程化学（CLP）计划中的这项研究奖支持波多黎各大学Abel Baerga-Ortiz教授的工作，以研究海洋微生物如何使用聚酮合酶复合物制造omega-3脂肪酸。不同酶组分的结构和机制将分别使用酶动力学、定点突变和X射线晶体学进行研究。这项研究的目的是准确描述（i）这些酶如何工作，以及（ii）它们是否可以被改变以产生在结构和物理性质上类似于母体脂肪酸分子的新化合物。此外，PI将监督针对波多黎各科学本科生，研究生和教职员工的课程，但向科学记者和传播者开放，以提高对波多黎各和加勒比地区天然产物化学的历史和现状的认识，重点是其开发新技术和新企业的潜力。这一举措将与PI与波多黎各药用植物园正在进行的外展工作以及与波多黎各化学家协会的劳动力再培训工作紧密联系在一起。欧米茄-3脂肪酸作为治疗剂、食品添加剂、润滑剂或生物燃料成分具有巨大的潜力。关于ω-3脂肪酸在自然界中是如何产生的详细知识可以用来扩大这类有用化合物的化学多样性。

This research award in the Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP) program supports work by Professor Abel Baerga-Ortiz at the University of Puerto Rico to lead an investigation into how omega-3 fatty acids are made by marine micro-organisms using a polyketide synthase enzyme complex. The structure and mechanism of the different enzyme components will be studied separately using enzyme kinetics, site-directed mutagenesis and x-ray crystallography. The goal of the research is to delineate exactly (i) how these enzymes work and (ii) whether they can be altered to produce new compounds which resemble the parent fatty acid molecule in structure and physical properties. In addition, the PI will supervise a course aimed at Puerto Rican science undergraduates, graduates and faculty members, but open to science journalists and communicators, to raise awareness about the history and current status of natural products chemistry in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, with an emphasis on its potential to develop new technologies and new enterprise. This initiative will link well with on-going outreach efforts by the PI with the Puerto Rico Medicinal Plants Garden and with workforce re-training efforts with the Puerto Rico Chemists Association.Omega-3 fatty acids have tremendous potential as therapeutics, food additives, lubricants or biofuel components. Detailed knowledge about how omega-3 fatty acids are made in nature could be used to expand the chemical diversity of this class of useful compounds.